High above, two factions arrayed themselves east and west, separated by a considerable distance, and in the vast expanse between them hovered a single figure, brandishing a long staff that shimmered with golden light, occasionally letting out a curse, which only ceased when Lu Bu finally charged forth.

Glancing at Lu Bu, he casually rested the long staff across his shoulder, waving his left hand dismissively: "Who are you? I am looking for the God Erlang Shen, Yang Jian. Why has some ordinary Celestial General emerged? Begone quickly!" This Fighting Buddha clearly held little regard for common Heavenly soldiers and generals; he felt such individuals were merely a waste of time.

Lu Bu heard this and was not overly incensed. Though immensely proud, he wasn't truly foolish. Despite his formidable reputation in the mortal realm, here in the Immortal World, he amounted to nothing!

At this very moment, he kept his position perfectly clear: he was a nobody, and if he wanted respect, he needed to produce tangible results!

Therefore, words were useless. He lifted the Seven-Star General-Slaying Halberd, roared, and lunged straight ahead! Clad in his crimson armor, he streaked like a bolt of red light, instantly arriving before the Fighting Buddha. He thrust his long spear forward, aiming directly for the opponent's throat.

Once this move was launched, there was no retreat. No matter how much the Fighting Buddha—Bie Wukong—might look down on Lu Bu as a common Celestial General, he couldn't simply stand there and take a desperate blow without retaliation. Even though the Fighting Buddha’s physical body had been tempered to be impervious to blades and spears, no one enjoyed having sharp weapons thrust fiercely at them. Furthermore, Lu Bu’s Seven-Star General-Slaying Halberd was itself a magical artifact. At full power, specks of starlight dotted the blade, accompanied by a deep azure glow; it was clearly no ordinary weapon, and who knew what special abilities it possessed.

Seeing the blade piercing toward him, Bie Wukong leaned back, then followed it with a fluid somersault, dropping about half a meter. His staff spun and flipped into his two hands, and then he swept upward in a powerful rising strike aimed at Lu Bu's elbow.

If this blow landed, Lu Bu's arm would instantly be crippled, followed by an endless barrage of strikes from Bie Wukong. The disarmed Lu Bu would instantly be smashed into a pulp of flesh. Sensing the opponent's intent, Lu Bu remained calm. He pivoted his long spear, changing the force in his arm; the thrust transformed into a smashing blow, directed straight down at the Fighting Buddha positioned below him.

"Heh! Interesting!"

Bie Wukong merely sneered upon seeing Lu Bu's counter. His staff’s momentum remained unchanged, only slightly altering its trajectory, intending to meet Lu Bu head-on in a clash.

Although he was below, the upward strike was inherently less advantageous than Lu Bu’s downward smash. However, Bie Wukong was skilled and bold, and deep down, he truly didn't think much of this Lu Bu. Thus, even while at a disadvantage, he cared not, eager to use this single exchange to make Lu Bu recognize his true might.

At this point, both contingents had stabilized in the air, watching the clash from a distance. In the blink of an eye, the two figures had blurred into a single mass. As they focused their gaze, a sudden, earth-shattering boom erupted as the two weapons collided. The sound was like thunder crashing down from the Nine Heavens, making everyone’s ears ring violently!

This sound stunned everyone. They weren't surprised by the immense strength the Fighting Buddha, Duokong, could unleash; what shocked them was that this unknown Celestial General could muster such force! The sound clearly indicated it wasn't solely the Fighting Buddha's power. If not for two equally matched forces colliding, there would have been a distinct difference in sound.

After the massive sound, the two figures in the air abruptly separated. However, while Bie Wukong retreated three to five meters before calmly coming to a stop, Lu Bu retreated nearly ten meters before barely stabilizing his stance.

This outcome was not unexpected; after all, Duokong’s reputation preceded him. The fact that Lu Bu, a nameless soldier, hadn't been blasted out of sight was already quite astonishing.

But Bie Wukong initially believed that even if he couldn't send the brat flying, he could at least leave him reeling for quite a while, perhaps even severely wounding him and forcing him to retreat obediently. He hadn't expected the fellow, after taking a few deep breaths, to be completely unharmed. If not for his extraordinary eyesight discerning the slight tremor in the hand gripping the spear, Duokong might have begun to doubt his own senses.

"Oh? You do possess some capability. State your name!" This declaration was tantamount to acknowledging Lu Bu's strength. This statement shocked not only the contingent from the Buddhist Realm but also those from the Celestial Court.

Who was the Fighting Buddha? He was once the arrogant being who boasted of challenging the Jade Emperor to a duel. Although he was thoroughly subdued afterward and his temper had tempered considerably, his strength and pride were renowned throughout the Immortal World. To earn his respect required insurmountable ability.

At least among the armies of the Celestial Court, few Celestial Generals had ever earned his genuine attention—not even Yuan Hong, who shared the lineage of a naturally born spirit monkey like him. If Yuan Hong hadn't been listed on the Investiture of the Gods, Bie Wukong might have spared him a few extra glances; but now...

"I am Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian!"

Titles like Marquis of Wen or God of War were useless here. Lu Bu stated his name directly, then tightened his grip on the spear, hovering suspended in the air, focusing intently to await the opponent's next attack!

The initial exchange seemed insignificant on the surface, but Lu Bu knew well that without the armor he wore, that single strike might have sent him soaring, and his arms would certainly have been severely injured even if not crippled! Only then did he understand why Ye Wen had given him this armor; it had absorbed the bulk of that terrifying strength, allowing him to remain standing and converse.

Simultaneously, through that brief exchange, Lu Bu realized that wearing this armor allowed him to unleash even greater power without worrying about the recoil force!

Generally, when a powerful figure strikes, if they exert seven parts of their strength, not all of that force hits the enemy; perhaps two or three, even four parts, are used internally to protect their own fist.

But wearing this armor negated that concern. Exerting seven parts of strength meant all seven parts were delivered outwardly; the task of protecting the body was entirely delegated to this divine armor. This, too, was one of the armor's advantages.

It was relying on these capabilities that Lu Bu could stand against the Fighting Buddha opposite him!

The Buddhist contingent remained unaware of the critical detail that only a few in the Celestial Court had grasped—this was because Ye Wen had given Lu Bu the armor in front of them. Others simply assumed it was Lu Bu's personal set of armor, only noticing its slightly unusual appearance.

During this brief moment of mutual surprise, the two combatants clashed again. This time, the engagement differed from the first. Earlier, Lu Bu attacked, and Bie Wukong parried a few moves before engaging in the hard collision that separated them.

This time, Bie Wukong initiated the attack—which suited his temperament. He wasn't the type to cautiously defend, search for an opening, and then strike down his foe. He preferred to unleash full power from the outset, raining down a chaotic flurry of blows that prevented the opponent from even defending, thus concluding the fight swiftly.

The same occurred now: a barrage of staff strikes descended, seemingly without pattern, shrouding Lu Bu in a storm of glowing stick shadows. However, upon closer inspection, one could discern that these shadow strikes alternated between real and illusory, completely sealing off Lu Bu's potential escape routes, forcing him to meet the blows head-on. This revealed that although Bie Wukong favored direct confrontation, he wasn't mindlessly charging in.

Yet, Lu Bu did not fear this style of fighting. He had spent his life on the battlefield, wielding his majestic halberd against countless experts of every weapon type imaginable.

The only difference with these enemies was that this monkey-faced foe wielded a staff, but it had to be treated as a heavy weapon like a great hammer. Every blow had not only to be blocked but also subtly deflected with a touch of finesse to neutralize some of the force.

Lu Bu's fame was definitely not built on mere brute strength; his mastery of various techniques was perfect. The instant his spear met the staff, he could accurately unload and deflect a portion of the incoming force. Thus, after a dozen rounds, although he was defending more than attacking, he held his ground evenly, engaging the Fighting Buddha in a spectacular fight.

Once the two began fighting, the onlookers dared not speak loudly, focusing intently on the center stage. After a while, Lu Bu suddenly roared, and his long spear emitted a bizarre, dark-red glow. After colliding with the Ruyi Jingu Bang, they managed to achieve equilibrium.

And Ye Wen, possessing the sharpest eyesight, realized that this time, Lu Bu had not used the deflection technique.

Instead, he had met Duokong head-on with absolute, uncompromising force. As Lu Bu’s killing intent flared, a faint light began to flow around his body. The previously bright crimson divine armor seemed to be overlaid with a shadow, turning it a dark, somber red.

This transformation might not have drawn attention otherwise, but the one fighting him, Bie Wukong, immediately sensed the anomaly. Had this person, who initially relied on technique to counter his immense power, suddenly shifted to trading raw smash-for-smash blows?

What unsettled him was that his own strength seemed to vanish into a bottomless pit; a good portion of the power from a single staff strike disappeared without a trace. Simultaneously, the change in his opponent put him on guard. Especially when Lu Bu suddenly surged with ferocity, swinging his long spear with tremendous force. The long Seven-Star General-Slaying Halberd, glowing with a dark-blue light, carved out a sweeping arc that actually forced Duokong to dodge backward.

It wasn't that he couldn't withstand the spear thrust, but the strange, eerie power emanating from it instilled caution in him, leading him to retreat as a precaution.

He flipped backward several times to create distance from Lu Bu, then activated his Fiery Eyes of Truth to get a closer look. He saw that the armor covering Lu Bu was now more black than red, and his stature had increased significantly. His original height of nearly two meters now approached three meters. His eyes were scarlet, and he breathed in ragged gasps, the veins bulging on the back of the hand clutching the spear. This appearance was terrifying, and it was unclear what kind of spell this individual was employing.

Just as he pondered the effect of this transformation, Lu Bu charged forward again, wielding the spear like a club, smashing down with a force that seemed even more terrifying than his own staff strikes. However, Sun Wukong was unafraid. He raised his staff above his head to meet the blow head-on. With a colossal boom, Sun Wukong was eerily surprised to find his arms go weak, nearly causing him to drop to the ground under the sheer impact.

But it wasn't over. Lu Bu seemed to be fighting in a frenzy, and bolstered by the divine armor, he had no need for restraint. He unleashed his full ten parts of strength, smashing down upon Sun Wukong's head again and again, blow after blow, without much technique—just swinging his arms wide and bringing the hammer down. This scene left the crowd dumbfounded.

In the past, it was always the Fighting Buddha who relied on his boundless strength and the heavy weight of the Ruyi Jingu Bang to batter others. When had they ever witnessed someone attack him this way? For a moment, everyone was stunned into silence.

Even Ye Wen hadn't expected Lu Bu to be this terrifying when driven mad. He grew even more curious about the bizarre ability Lu Bu derived from the Investiture of the Gods: "Does this ability have no limit? And it doesn't seem to be a temporary boost—it appears Lu Bu incrementally improves his strength after every battle? This doesn't seem to align with the established rules of the Investiture of the Gods!"

Ye Wen had been pondering this question since his battle with Bai Qi. While the Investiture of the Gods was the magical treasure used by the Celestial Court to manufacture "Civil and Military Generals," there were supposed restrictions placed on their power to prevent rebellion and insubordination, weren't there? Yet, looking at Lu Bu, it seemed that wasn't the case. As long as the Investiture of the Gods deemed it appropriate, it could produce such a monstrously powerful Celestial General!

Turning to look at Yang Jian, Ye Wen saw that Yang Jian, a relative of the Jade Emperor, also wore an expression of astonishment, seemingly unaware of what was happening and greatly surprised by the power Lu Bu displayed.

"Is there some trickery involved in this?"

Having served as a sect leader for so long, Ye Wen found himself perpetually delving into complex theories, feeling himself becoming less and less "pure" as he inclined toward conspiracy theories about everything.

But that was unavoidable. As the saying goes: one must not harbor ill intentions toward others, but one must always guard against them! To defend against sinister schemers, one had to be more devious than the villains themselves!

Just then, a sudden change occurred!

The two figures in the arena violently collided, and then the monkey-faced Buddha's form rapidly swelled—he had activated the Divine Power of Heaven and Earth Manifestation, making himself even taller.

Sun Wukong was not tall to begin with, and in the presence of the two-meter-tall Lu Bu, he looked even smaller. Now that Lu Bu had gone into a berserk state and grown even larger and more imposing, Duokong looked like a child before him, chased and battered by Lu Bu wielding the Seven-Star General-Slaying Halberd!

After enduring this onslaught, Sun Wukong was furious and immediately deployed the Divine Power of Heaven and Earth Manifestation to equalize the size difference. Then, he swung his arm, and the Ruyi Jingu Bang in his grasp suddenly elongated, its tip expanding until it resembled a colossal pillar reaching into the heavens, which he then brought smashing down on Lu Bu.

Lu Bu, in his frenzied state, paid no heed to caution. Seeing the staff smashing toward him, he twisted his spear and thrust forward—intending to pierce through the massive length of the staff with a pinpoint strike.

Under normal circumstances, this action would not be flawed. It showed that even in his rage, Lu Bu was not entirely irrational in combat; the strategy he conceived in that split second was logical and reasonable.

But he had forgotten one crucial point: while the Seven-Star General-Slaying Halberd was not ordinary, it was several tiers below the Fighting Buddha’s Ruyi Jingu Bang.

Unfortunately, Lu Bu had never heard of the Fighting Buddha, nor was he familiar with his magical artifact; otherwise, he would never have attempted such a move!

A piercing, grating sound ripped through the air. Lu Bu's spear was first bent into a semicircle by the immense pressure, and then it violently shattered into countless fragments. This was not the special ability of the Seven-Star General-Slaying Halberd; Lu Bu had only just acquired the spear and was entirely ignorant of its many profound uses.

The Ruyi Jingu Bang had forcibly crushed the Seven-Star General-Slaying Halberd. With no obstruction, the golden staff smashed down. Though slightly surprised by the destruction of his weapon, Lu Bu's years of warfare allowed him to react optimally in the shortest time: he crossed both hands in front of him to guard his head and face first.

Boom! Crack!

Two sounds erupted almost simultaneously—one deafening, the other almost inaudible. Although Ye Wen couldn't hear the faint sound, his Glazed Pupils saw everything clearly: Lu Bu's arms were smashed by the Ruyi Jingu Bang, and both arm bones were completely shattered. This blow likely rendered him incapable of further combat!

Ignoring him, every general nearby could see the severity of the injury. Upon witnessing this, the quicker-reacting ones immediately moved to rescue him, while the slower ones cried out in alarm.

Guan Yu, who shared the closest relationship with Lu Bu, spurred Red Hare, donned his own divine armor (it was unclear when he had put on that Dragon King armor), and charged out of the formation with the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade. He swung his long saber sharply through the air, unleashing a moon-shaped arc of pale-white blade energy that shot directly toward the Fighting Buddha, intending to force him to retreat a single step so he could pull Lu Bu away.

While one side attempted a rescue, the Buddhist contingent moved to ensure the kill. They had seen Lu Bu’s performance; although they didn't know where the Celestial Court had found such a capable general, his strength made them deeply wary. There was no question that such an individual could not be allowed to live, as it would undoubtedly create a more unfavorable situation for the Buddhist Realm.

The few Bright Kings and Bodhisattvas who saw most clearly reached this conclusion instantly. Kong Xuan, upon seeing Guan Yu charge out to help, immediately shook his shoulders. The divine light emanating from behind him vibrated, and then he illuminated the crescent blade energy with a single beam, causing the energy to vanish instantly, as if it had never existed.

Guan Yu and Kong Xuan made their moves successively, but Kong Xuan’s power far surpassed Guan Yu’s. It seemed Lu Bu was doomed. But just then, Ye Wen let out a soft cough and murmured something indiscernible. The armor on the distant Lu Bu suddenly blazed with brilliant light, and the dark shadows covering it instantly disappeared, returning to a vivid crimson. Then, it violently shed itself from Lu Bu’s body, the countless rays of red light gathering beneath him to form a strange object, which then carried Lu Bu, fleeing back toward his own formation.

This sudden turn of events stunned everyone. Bie Wukong’s follow-up staff swing missed its target entirely, and he stumbled slightly, indicating the immense force he had exerted.

Looking up to see Lu Bu retreating rapidly, the monkey-faced figure cursed, "Trying to escape right in front of me? Think you can get away?" He stamped his foot, conjuring a cloud beneath him, and in an instant, he appeared behind Lu Bu, as if they had been flying in this precise formation all along.

But before he could strike again, a voice rang out near his ear: "Whether you escape or not is not for you, Monkey, to decide!" Before he could see who spoke, his entire body turned cold, as if thousands of sharp swords were pressing against him.